WellDatabase Weekly Rig Report for July 18, 2026: US Rig Count Climbs Up 11 with Strong Horizontal and Oil Activity

The latest WellDatabase US Rig Report (dated July 18, 2026) shows the U.S. active drilling rig count at 567, marking a solid +11 week-over-week (WoW) increase and +37 year-over-year (YoY) gain. This reflects resilient drilling activity amid a stable-to-rising trend over the past 12 months, with the count holding in the mid-to-high 500s range.

Key Highlights from the WellDatabase Report

Total Rigs: 567 (+11 WoW, +37 YoY)
By Well Type: Oil-directed rigs dominate at 421 (+7 WoW, +23 YoY); Gas rigs at 126 (+1 WoW, +19 YoY); Thermal at 9.
By Wellbore: Horizontal rigs surged to 496 (+35 WoW), underscoring the continued shift to efficient shale development. Directional: 48 (down WoW in this snapshot); Vertical: 23.

Depth Focus: Most activity in the 10k–15k ft range (255 rigs, +8 WoW), followed by 5k–10k ft (116) and >20k ft (99).
Geographic Breakdown (Top States):Texas: 271 rigs (+3 WoW)
New Mexico: 98 (+1)
Oklahoma: 48 (+2)
Louisiana: 34 (+1)
Other states are largely stable or modestly higher (e.g., Alaska 12, Colorado 12, Pennsylvania 17, Wyoming 17).

Basin Leadership: Permian Basin leads with 261 rigs (+3 WoW). Other notable basins include Haynesville (55, strong gas play), Eagle Ford (44), and “Other” at 106 (+4).

Top Operators: Permian Resources Operating LLC jumped dramatically to 29 rigs (+14 WoW — a standout weekly gain). Continental Resources at 21 (+3), with Pioneer Natural Resources, EOG Resources, and others rounding out the top tier.

The accompanying map highlights concentrations in the Permian (Texas/New Mexico), Eagle Ford, and other key shale areas. Line charts show the 12-month rig count trend as relatively flat-to-upward around the 500–560 level, while basin and county breakdowns illustrate concentrated activity in core plays.

Comparison to Baker Hughes and Enverus

Different providers use varying methodologies, leading to a range of headline numbers, but the overall story of steady-to-growing U.S. drilling activity is consistent:

Baker Hughes (widely followed weekly rotary rig census, including land, offshore, and inland): Latest available data around early-to-mid July 2026 showed the U.S. total reaching 581 (e.g., +1 WoW to 581 for the week ending ~July 10; prior weeks at 580 on July 3 and 573 on June 26). Oil rigs hovered around 445, gas around 126, with miscellaneous ~10. Year-over-year gains of ~40+ rigs. State-level trends align closely (Texas ~272, Oklahoma 48 in recent reports).

Enverus (daily GPS-based tracking for higher-frequency and broader fleet capture): Typically reports higher totals than Baker Hughes, often in the 620–630+ range in recent mid-2026 snapshots (e.g., ~631 around late June). This reflects more granular, real-time visibility into active operations.

WellDatabase (567) sits slightly below Baker Hughes but delivers superior granularity on operators, exact well types, depths, and basins. All three sources point to resilient activity, with oil-directed and horizontal drilling dominant, Permian leadership, and year-over-year gains. Differences arise from scope (e.g., active vs. spud, rotary census vs. GPS).

Cushing, Oklahoma, and SPR Inventory Update

Tight inventories provide impoRigReport 7 18rtant context for the rig activity outlook:

Cushing, OK (key WTI delivery hub): Commercial crude stocks stood at approximately 19.6 million barrels (19,614 thousand barrels) as of the week ending July 3, 2026 — near multi-year lows and close to the widely cited ~20 million barrel operational minimum (“tank bottoms”). Recent weeks showed tightness or slight draws, reflecting strong refinery demand and pipeline dynamics.

Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR): Levels reached a multi-year low of approximately 319.5 million barrels (~319,489 thousand barrels) around the same period, with notable weekly draws (e.g., ~6.2 million barrels in one recent week). Utilization sits around 44–45% of capacity. Continued draws reflect ongoing policy or supply management dynamics.

These tight conditions at Cushing and the SPR drawdown, paired with steady rig counts, suggest supportive fundamentals for domestic crude balances and potential price support for WTI amid resilient production growth.OutlookU.S. drilling activity remains robust and efficient, led by horizontal shale development in the Permian and other core basins, with notable operator momentum (e.g., Permian Resources). Cross-provider data from WellDatabase, Baker Hughes, and Enverus confirms a stable-to-growing rig fleet. Combined with tight key inventories, this points to a balanced supply response supporting energy markets.

For the full visual details — including the U.S. rig map, 12-month trend chart, top counties/basins breakdowns, and operator/state tables — refer to the attached WellDatabase PDF report.